Xserve
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Too many Mac rumors
Managing all the information in all these damned Apple rumors that everyone is so insistent upon proliferating is no small task, but we know that there exists a vast amount of people hungry for any WWDC 2006 launch information they can get (and an equal amount lying in wait to say we're merely Apple fanboys). While we know how much you'd love for us to report on these as we go, we'll give you the short list, and invite you to leave rumors for us to add in comments. Bon appetit! A chap named Brian sent us another iPhone picture, this time it's called the iCall. The story goes: it was supposedly found by an insider on the floor in a storage room at the Moscone. Hey stranger things have happened (then again, remember the iHome?). MacRumors says we'll have Xeon Xserves, the Mac Pro, and new 1:1000 contrast ratio Studio Displays with iSight and Apple Remote support, Core 2 Duo mobile MacBook Pros, and loads of new stuff for Leopard. Scoble says Apple is "readying a dizzying amount of new products," but not much else. FirstAdopter thinks the Mac Pros will run Xeons, run from $1,800 - $3,200 in base configs, and have pretty much all the usual options. Ars Technica seems to think roughly the same, and pontificated on it for a few thousand words. Going back a little, Macworld reported that Blu-ray drive support may (or may not) make its way into Steve's presentation. Apple joins Kronos, therefore must be developing iPhone. Sure, take it to the bank. iPhone software found in iPod updater. Hurrah! Oh, wait, it still doesn't mean anything (yet). Someone posted an oh-so-bad iChat Mobile video on YouTube. In case you missed it, that was the iPhone rumor du jour last night. Thanks, Steve. Apple Insider is insisting MacBook Pros are going to go Merom (Core 2 Duo). Yeah, and why not? Just about every other laptop manufacturer already has, and they'd be downright foolish not to launch the MeromBooks at WWDC.
Intel Xserve due in August?
Now, don't get us wrong, we like the Intel iMac, mini, MacBook, MacBook Pro, and we expect we'll also like the so-called "Mac Pro" a great deal whenever that gets announced. But if there was ever one Apple product line in severe need of an Intel overhaul, it's their performance-sensitive server series, the Xserve. When would be the perfect time to introduce these machines? WWDC in August of course; and according to ThinkSecret, you corporate Mac nerds might be able to expect just that come fall. No Core Duos (or is it Cores Duo?) inside these boxes though, supposedly the new Xserves will be using Woodcrest chips, Intel's successor to the Xeon line.
Apple not interested in the enterprise
Despite making products like the Xserve an Xserve RAID, Apple doesn't give two figs about the enterprise market, at least that's what David Sobotta, former Apple employee and blogger behind Applepeels, thinks. He blogs that Steve has told the enterprise salesforce at Apple that the company is a consumer company first and foremost. The enterprise is a nice way to make some money, but isn't worth investing money in.This is a very brief overview of the post, head on over and read it yourself.
Rig of the Day: Me and the cluster
It's just another day at the office. That is, an office that houses two racks bulging with Xserves. Here you'll find Flickr user el frijole standing next to 42 Xserve G4s, 5 G5 Xserve cluster nodes and 1 Xserve G5. We'd call that a pretty decent rig, wouldn't you?"Me and The Cluster" posted by el frijoleIf you'd like to see your own rig featured here, simply upload photos into our group Flickr pool. We'll select an image every day to highlight.
Rig of the Day: iPod and Goliath
"This iPod is linked to another iTunes Music Library massive Xserve cluster. Do you want to change the link to this iTunes Music Library massive Xserve cluster?" We realize that this isn't your typical Mac rig, but we just had to point it out. Flickr user XaOS posts this shot of his iPod getting together with its (much) bigger brother. That's one heck of a music collection you've got there."cluster and ipod" posted by XaOS.If you'd like to see your own rig featured here, simply upload photos into our group Flickr pool. We'll select an image every day to highlight.
South Park moving to Xserve SAN arrays for storage
No South Park episodes in the iTMS yet, but TV Squad points out that South Park is switching over to Apple Xserve SAN arrays for keeping track of all the animation craziness that is the show. This ComputerWorld article details the move: "Franzen said he chose Apple hardware based on a 'gut' feeling that its technology would be good, and so far, he has not been disappointed. Franzen said he now expects to add two more Xserve arrays for a total of 15TB of storage and place his disk storage behind a couple of switches from Cisco Systems Inc. in order to make managing his storage easier." That's the kind of gut feeling I like to hear about.
Why aren't more businesses using Xserves
That's the question that Elizabeth Millard asks in her piece called, 'Apple's Xserve: MIA or DOA in the Enterprise?' With a title like that you might expect the article to take a lackluster view of the Xserve, but that is no so. Millard highlights the fact that Apple is leverage their marketshare in the research sciences and higher education to sell Xserves, and that might trickle down to corporations.Apple's biggest problem in the enterprise area is that many corporate IT people think of Apple as a consumer company ('Don't they make iPods?'). Until IT managers are willing to 'think different' Apple might be left out in the cold.
Apple not ready for Enterprise
At least that is what Paul Thurrot says; well really he hints at it. Quoting a recent article by Rob Enderle, Thurrott says that Apple won't be taking over the enterprise market any time soon because they refuse to play ball with big companies.What do I mean by play ball? Enderle, as quoted by Thurrott, rightly points out that many companies feel a little iffy on the idea of purchasing all of their equipment from one vendor (i.e. Apple) and if they are going to take that risk they need certain reassurances that the product line won't be discontinued the week after they migrate to it.This is why the Dells and Microsofts of the planet rule this space; they are willing to let their partners in on what is coming down the pike. Apple, in order to maintain its image, can't afford anyone to know what it is doing until his Steveness gets on a stage somewhere and says those three magical words, 'One more thing...'
Xserve RAID reviewed
Now that you know the basics of Xsan you'll be wanting some hardware to run that sucker on. However, how are you to choose between all the available options?Enter Cuddletech. Yes, I said Cuddletech.They have just posted a very nice review of the Xserve RAID which everyone should read just to see this, 'The Apple Xserve RAID is undoubtedly the cheapest precanned fibre channel storage array available today. More and more people are using these puppies for one reason: cost. Stylish good looks never hurt either.'I love it when Apple hardware is the cost effective choice.
